Plant Distribution Patterns in the Urbanized Habitats of Kharga and Dakhla Oases, Western Desert, Egypt

This study investigates the relationship between vegetation and soil characteristics supporting urban habitats in Kharga and Dakhla Oases, Egypt. A total of 39 permanently visited sampling plots across the habitats in Dakhla and Kharga Oases to represent the apparent variation in the different habitats. Four main habitat types were identified: home gardens (HG), public gardens (PG), road islands (RI), and vacant lots (VL). These plots were distributed as follows: 11 in public gardens, 16 in home gardens, 8 in road islands, and 4 in vacant lots. The largest families that formed the main bulk of the recorded flora were Fabaceae (29 species, 17% of the total flora), followed by Poaceae (21 species, 12%), and Asteraceae (12 species, 7%). Other less important families included Amaranthaceae (9 species, 5%), Malvaceae (8 species, 5%), Brassicaceae, Convolvulaceae, Euphorbiaceae (6 species for each, 4%), and Apocynaceae (5 species, 3%). There were 20 mono-specific families constituted 38.4% of the total families that represented by one species. Cluster analysis analysis classified the vegetation into 14 distinct groups, revealing species compositions characteristic of each habitat, highlighting the significant influence of human activities, such as urbanization and agricultural practices, on species composition. Managed habitats, particularly home gardens (HG) and public gardens (PG), exhibited the highest species richness, hosting a diverse mix of native, cultivated, and ornamental species.